Tony L.
Yelp
[ Background ]
Saturday, September 14, 2024 at ~7:00 PM
Mac's Chatham Fish and Lobster is a highly recommended restaurant located in Chatham. For outdoor seating, there are plenty of picnic tables with large umbrellas that offer shade from the sun, making it the perfect place to eat during the daytime or while the sun sets. Otherwise, there are tons of tables and seats inside. This restaurant seems to be a hit favorite for families and larger parties since the indoor tables can accommodate many people and can even be pushed together if needed. The vibes here are on the casual side.
Because it started getting a bit chilly, my two friends and I opted for indoor seating for dinner. I wish we went during lunchtime and got outdoor seats instead since I wasn't a fan of the interior lighting at nighttime.
[ Food ]
Online menu link: https://www.chathamfish.com/menu/
We ordered:
* Shrimp cocktail, six ($18.00)
Located under the Raw Bar section of the menu, this order came with six shrimp displayed on a bed of ice with two lemon wedges and a tiny paper souffle cup filled with cocktail sauce and grated horseradish (I think). The shrimp paired nicely with the sauce, but it's crazy to think that each shrimp cost $3 each. Next time, I would probably order another dish instead.
* Steamer clams ($22.00)
This dish consisted of 1.5 pounds of steamer clams, lemon wedges, and a paper cup full of broth. My friends and I had never eaten this before, and it would've been nice if the employee educated us on the correct technique. For other first-timers, you separate the clam from the shell, use your fingers to hold the siphon end, dip the clam in the broth a few times to remove the lingering sand and grit, dip it in melted butter, and then eat it [1]. However, our order didn't come with melted butter (not sure if the employee forgot or maybe it's just not included), so we ate it plain. Even after cleaning, I could still feel a bit of grittiness, but I personally enjoyed that texture (although my companions didn't). I loved the taste of the steamer clams, and I would highly recommend it to other tourists visiting Cape Cod.
* Lobster roll, 6 oz ($35.00)
The lobster roll is offered in either the 4 or 6 oz size, and you can order it hot tossed in butter or chilled with mayo and celery. I went with the 6 oz option, hot. The roll was pretty good, and I definitely tasted the butter; however, I later learned that I prefer the cold version after trying that option at another restaurant. The order also comes with chips and slaw, which were decent. The price is on par with other restaurants (although I will give Mac's Chatham Fish and Lobster points because they are transparent with the weight while many other establishments omit that number from their menus).
[ Service ]
There are two doors leading to the front of the restaurant. After entering through one door, we queued up for the register on the right, but customers started entering the other door and lined up for the register on the left (after reading other reviews, I'm assuming this might be the line for ordering alcoholic drinks). I even overheard another customer asking what the heck was going on. And judging from other Yelp reviews, it seems this confusion is not uncommon. So in my opinion, management needs to clearly label the entrances and registers to indicate if they're for food or drinks, and management should also position the stanchions and belts to create two distinct lines.
There were a few people in front of us in line, but it went by pretty quick.
After ordering, the employee at the register handed our party a metal number card holder, and the server conveniently brought the food directly to our table.
[ Tips ]
You can pay using a credit card at this establishment.
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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamed_clams#Consumption